By Justin James, PWTorch contributor

No pre-credits videos. The announcers remindus that NXT Champion goes face-to-face with Andrade “Cien” Almas who faces him for the title this Saturday at Takeover: War Games. They also promot the Ember Moon – Mercedes Martinez match tonight. Street Profits are out for a match.

Dawknins and Sabbtelli start the match and Sabbatelli gets Dawkins into the corner on the lockup. Dawkins pops out of the corner with a waistlock takedown. Sabbetalli elbows out. Double team action from the Street Profits, and they keep Moss out of the ring when he tries to interfere. Distraction from Moss lets Sabbatelli get in a cheap shot, and Ford is on the other end of the double team. Ford’s ability lets him slip away and tag Dawkins. Dawkins takes out Sabbetlli and Moss by himself. A big punch knocks Sabbatelli out.

WINNERS: Street Profits in 3:16. Good match for the length. Street Profits are super over, and I like Moss and Sabbetelli as a competant heel team.

Video promoting the up-coming match between Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream. Focus on the Black Mass at being an instant match ender, then Dream coming out to interupt Black’s first NXT promo. Dream’s continued efforts to get Black’s attention. Really good video. I feel like this feud can and should have some sort of legs post-Takeover.

[Q2] Lars Sullivan is out to remind us who he is before his Takeover match against Kassius Ohno. He is facing the talented Raul Mendoza who has been used as enhancement talent in NXT.

(2) LARS SULLIVAN vs. RAUL MENDOZA

Mondoza dodges a charge from Sullivan, delivers kicks, takes a whip and slides through the ropes. Mendoza off the top and Sullivan headbutts him out of the air. Massive splash in the corner crushes Mendoza, then again. “Lars is an abnormality of human genetics.” – Percy Watson. Sick powerslam makes Mendoza look like a child’s toy. Slam from Sullivan ends it. Sounds like Mauro Ranallo has dubbed it “the Freak Accident.”

WINNER: Lars Sullivan in 1:46. Sullivan has the big-man power game down pat, let’s see how he does against Ohno on Saturday. I am looking forards to that match to see what Sullivan is really capable of.

Post-match, Sullivan looks for a post-match beating, but Ohno makes the save. They face off and glower at each other. Sullivan laughs at Ohno and leaves the ring.

In William Regal’s office. Johnny Gargano says he hasn’t been delivering and wants to prove he still belongs in NXT. Regal still beleives in him. UK Champion Pete Dunne called Regal and issued an open challenge. Regal has booked Gargano to face Dunne next week.

[ J.J.’s Reax: Pete Dunne is a heel, why would he issue an open challenge? ]

Video package showing how we arrived at the War Games match at Takeover of Undisputed Era vs. The Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong vs. Sanity.

(3) EMBER MOON vs. MERCEDES MARTINEZ

Lockup leads to chain wrestling. Martinez controls Moon for the early stages of the match. Moon turns it around. Nice kick takes out Martinez’ leg and sets up a basement dropkick for two. Martinez lands a big right then Moon has one of her own, but runs into a spinebuster for two. [c]

Moon with some big kicks, but Martinez ducks an enziguri and lands a chop that has Moon flopping on the ground like a fish. Martinez with three un-release suplexes in a row for a nearfall. Head scissors sends Martinez to the outside, then Moon hits a suicide dive to the outside. Moon goes to the top, but a big boot knocks her silly. Running Tower of London gets a pair of nearfalls. Martinez calls for the end, Moon sliips out of a suplex and transitions to a rollup for two. Martinez misses a kick and gets wrapped in the ropes. Moon knocks her down, then lands th eEclipse.

WINNER: Ember Moon in 7:28. Moon took a lot of offense from someone new to NXT, which did her no favors going into Takeover.

Post-match, Nikki Cross makes her entrance through the crowd and Moon prepares to fight her. Then comes Peyton Royce, very much so not dressed for fighting, and then she is followed by Kairi Sane.

Next week we get Gargano vs. Dunne for the UK Championship, and Ruby Riot facing Sonya Deville. I am looking forwards to both matches quite a bit.

Drew McIntyre comes out first in street clothes.

McIntyre congratulates Almas… no, Zelina Vega, for getting a championship match at Takeover. McIntyre says they are in trouble. McIntyre says that there is a difference between asking for the big match and being in it. McInytre says that he is the big challenge in NXT. He says that Almas has to prove to himself that he is a man by coming out by himself and facing McIntyre. McIntyre acts surprised when Almas’ music hits. It’s Vega. And eventually Almas comes out. He takes his jacket off, McIntyre takes his shirt off, and they brawl. Vega with a crossbody from the top, McIntyre catches her and gently puts her down, letting Almas hit a chop block. Almas works the leg then lands the hammerlock DDT. The announcers question if Almas has injured McIntyre’s leg. Vega holds up the championship and tells Almas that the championship is what this is about.

[ J.J.’s Reax: The best part of that was the gentlemanly way McIntyre put Vega down, which provided the needed distraction. Vega remains my favorite part of this feud. ]

FINAL THOUGHTS: The War Games match should be a spectacle with three talented teams in the ring. The women’s match is going to disappoint a ton of fans of Cross doesn’t win, and she has the most upside of the four right now as champion, but she has been booked so strong it would feel like the typical WWE booking swerve for her to lose. Ohno – Sullivan has all of the potential to be a really good match. Black – Dream is my most-anticipated match due to the fantastic booking, Black has been outstanding in the ring and Dream has proven to be much better than “capable” and it has the makings of a match of the night. McIntyre – Almas isn’t blowing my socks off with the build, McIntyre should win it, but it will be a strong match in terms of the in-ring action. It will be interesting to see if the championship match ends the night or the War Games match.

SHOW SUMMARY: In this edition of the Wade Keller Hotline, PWTorch editor Wade Keller reviews Raw start to finish with rundown and analysis of show including final Summerslam angles with Paul Heyman-Roman Reigns-Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey-Alexa Bliss, Seth Rollins-Dolph Ziggler with return of Team, Kevin Owens-Braun Strowman, and more. NOT VIP? [...]